The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) awarded a $248,293 Cooperative Agreement under the Measurement and Engineering Research and Standards (CFDA 11.609) program to the Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC) to improve DNA synthesis screening capabilities. EBRC will partner with NIST, industry, government, and other stakeholders to identify and describe the structure and properties of a federally-developed database of nucleic acid sequences of concern, and develop a...
This National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Grant award, under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074), provides $240,000 over three years starting on September 1, 2024 to fund a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology. The research aims to investigate the effects of bioengineered organisms on community assembly and ecosystem functioning in a soil microbial community. The fellow will use genetic engineering to create microbial consortia and study the impacts on community and...
This $450,000 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports the development of an "In Vitro Biomanufacturing on a Chip (IBOC)" system at Iowa State University. The IBOC technology aims to enhance in vitro prototyping of biomanufacturing processes by providing rapid sensing feedback to optimize enzyme combinations and metabolic pathways. Key features include integrating photonic crystal biosensors and surface-enhanced Raman...
This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) provides $2,649,927 to the University of California, Davis to develop small-scale, largely self-sufficient biomanufacturing capabilities using engineered plant cells, plant embryos, and fast-growing aquatic plants as bioproduction platforms. The key goals are to improve bioproduction and downstream processing efficiency, recycle plant biomass waste, and identify stable genomic loci for targeted...
This $600,000 Project Grant award, funded by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083), supports the establishment of the Center for Robust, Equitable and Accessible Technology and Education (CREATE) for Next Generation Biofoundries. The primary objectives are to develop methods for designing and building large genetic system libraries and metabolic pathways at significantly lower cost compared to conventional approaches. Key activities include:...
This $1,000,000 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Office of International Science and Engineering (CFDA 47.079) establishes the International Bioeconomy Macroalgae Center (IBMC) at the University of California, Berkeley. The IBMC will drive research, innovation, knowledge sharing, and education to advance the use of macroalgae (seaweed) in the global supply chain. Key focus areas include foundational research in macroalgae biodiversity and genomics, developing and...
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $9,000,000 Cooperative Agreement to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to establish a National Center for Biofoundry Applications (NCBA) under the Biological Sciences (CFDA 47.074) program. The goal of the NCBA is to advance the bioeconomy by developing a synergistic and fully integrated program consisting of in-house research and technology development, an external user program, and knowledge sharing, education, diversity, and...
This $5,000,000 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Office of International Science and Engineering (CFDA 47.079) will establish a "Global Centers: Reliable and Scalable Biofoundries for Biomanufacturing and Global Bioeconomy" initiative. The center will leverage international expertise from seven successful biofoundries in the U.S., Finland, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom. The key objectives are to: (1) develop and validate cross-national...
This National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Program (CFDA 47.041) Project Grant award of $519,071 to Trustees of Boston University will support research to develop light-controlled metabolic engineering strategies for sustainable bioproduction. The project aims to use optogenetic control techniques to balance the trade-off between production of valuable biochemicals, such as octanoic acid, and normal cell growth in microorganisms. Key objectives include developing novel light-responsive...
This Project Grant award of $575,765, provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), supports research at Northeastern University to enhance the production of biochemicals from sustainable single-carbon (C1) feedstocks using acetogenic bacteria. The key objectives are to 1) understand the metabolic and regulatory mechanisms by which acetogens leverage multiple substrates simultaneously to overcome growth limitations, and 2) apply this knowledge to direct...
EBRC 2026: ENGINEERING BIOLOGY FOR THE NEXT-GENERATION BIOECONOMY -THE ENGINEERING BIOLOGY RESEARCH CONSORTIUM (EBRC) BRINGS TOGETHER AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE FROM ACADEMIA, GOVERNMENT, AND INDUSTRY TO ADVANCE THE FIELD OF ENGINEERING BIOLOGY TO ADDRESS NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEEDS. ENGINEERING BIOLOGY COMBINES THE KNOWLEDGE, PROCESSES, AND TOOLS OF BIOLOGY WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING TO BUILD ORGANISMS AND SYSTEMS, ENABLE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, AND DEVELOP NEW PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. EBRC FACILITATES COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND LEADERS WITH DIVERSE EXPERTISE TO TACKLE OUR NATION?S MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGES, INCLUDING CRISES IN CLIMATE, FOOD AND WATER, ENERGY, AND HEALTH. THROUGH EBRC?S EFFORTS, EXPERTS WORK TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY THE CONCRETE STEPS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE TECHNICAL PROGRESS AND BREAKTHROUGHS, WHILE ACTIVELY INCORPORATING POLICY, EDUCATION, ETHICS, EQUITY, AND SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, RESEARCHERS AND INNOVATORS IN ENGINEERING BIOLOGY CREATE FORWARD-LOOKING TECHNICAL ROADMAPS THAT DESCRIBE THE RESEARCH ADVANCES NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE PROGRESS TOWARD SOLVING SIGNIFICANT SOCIETAL CHALLENGES. EBRC?S POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS PROVIDE INFORMATION AND INSIGHT TO INFORM AND ADVISE POLICYMAKERS TO HELP THEM ANTICIPATE ISSUES AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENGINEERING BIOLOGY RESEARCH ENTERPRISE. EBRC WORKS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS ETHICAL, REGULATORY, AND POLICY ISSUES IN WAYS THAT BENEFIT THE ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH WHILE SERVING SOCIETY RESPONSIBLY. EBRC?S FOCUS ON EDUCATION FOSTERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING ABOUT AND ENGAGING WITH ENGINEERING BIOLOGY TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERING BIOLOGY LEADERS. THE SECURITY FOCUS BUILDS A RESEARCH CULTURE THAT INCORPORATES CONSIDERATION OF SECURITY THROUGHOUT EVERY STAGE OF THE RESEARCH LIFECYCLE TO REDUCE RISK WHILE PROMOTING BENEFITS. INTEGRATED INTO ALL OF ITS EFFORTS, EBRC ENDEAVORS TO BUILD A MORE DIVERSE, EQUITABLE, AND INCLUSIVE RESEARCH COMMUNITY THAT WILL ACCELERATE INNOVATION AND GROW A STRONG, SUSTAINABLE BIOECONOMY THAT BENEFITS ALL. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.